Carlos Baleba has come a long way since the day he had to pull out of a Cameroon Cup last-16 match due to a school exam. Now Baleba's exams tend to be restricted to the football field - and a significant one is looming at Old Trafford this weekend. It is unfair on the 22-year-old to be viewed as the potential saviour of Manchester United's season.
However, at £70m, Baleba was by far the most expensive of United's three major summer signings. He is also the player earmarked for the holding midfield role Michael Carrick has had trouble filling effectively following Casemiro's exit in May. United knew Baleba had an ankle injury when they bought him from Brighton on 25 August and they may have to wait until after the international break for the Cameroon midfielder to make his debut.
They were not expecting that they would be 12th in the Premier League, with just one win and five points from their opening five games. In addition, Brighton came from 2-0 down at Old Trafford to deservedly knock them out of the EFL Cup. So there is no disguising that the pressure is on for Baleba and his new club ahead of the visit of rock-bottom Tottenham before three away trips in a row.
Champions League encounters at Atletico Madrid and Como fall either side of a journey across the Pennines to face Leeds. "Very quick," is the assessment from one United insider of their first impressions of Baleba. "He covers the ground really well." A handful of training sessions before Baleba was named on the bench for the 1-1 draw at Fulham on 20 September, and a closed doors game against Swiss League outfit Lausanne-Sports on 2 October, when United's international contingent were absent, is a small sample size to form an opinion on.
However, Baleba's speed is something that should bring positive benefits to United's midfield. Andrey Santos has it; less so Kobbie Mainoo and Youri Tielemans, who have been paired together by Carrick in the last four league games due to their superior technical abilities. United have been too easy to play through and danger has not been spotted quickly enough.
Carrick's side is one of only four in the top flight yet to keep a clean sheet. They have conceded twice in four out of their seven games in all competitions. Until an answer is found, an upturn in form is difficult to envisage.
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